Those born before July 1 retained their right to drink. .
The main push to reform this law was led by a woman named Candy Lightner, who founded MADD after her daughter was killed by a drunk driver. She called for the minimum age to be raised to 21, and eventually, Congress drafted a bill saying that all states would be required to raise the legal drinking age within two years or their federal-aid highway funds would be reduced a percentage for each year they didn't comply. Initially, President Ronald Reagan threatened to veto this bill because he thought it was an infringement on states" rights. After much debate (both personal and with members of Congress), he changed his mind and eventually signed the bill into law. The signing of this law had many positive results and people began to realize the extent of a problem that was right under their noses for some years. .
"State age-21 laws are one of the most effective public policies ever implemented in this nation." (Jim Hall, Chairman of National Transportation Safety Board) During the 1970's, there was an eleven percent increase in traffic fatalities in the 48 states whose drinking ages had been lowered. Since 1982, there has been a sixty percent decrease in alcohol-related traffic fatalities involving young drivers. (NHTSA, Feb. 1997) Since then, the number of DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) arrests, youth suicides, crime, and marijuana use has gone down in drastic numbers. In 1987 alone, 1071 lives were saved as a result of this one law. (NHTSA, Feb. 1997) There was also a sixteen percent decrease in vandalism arrests since the imposing of this law. America is not the only country that has had success with raising their national drinking age. Australia reported that there was a 20-25 percent increase in delinquency among males when they lowered their legal drinking age. (NHTSA, Feb. 1997) Despite the positive effects that came out of the drinking age law, there was still another side to the argument.